Exam 1 Chapter 4 (Cells) Flashcards
When and by whom were cells discovered?
Robert Hooke in 1665
Which two people studied cells and came up with cell theory?
Mathias Schleiden (1838) and Theodor Schwann (1839).
What is the cell theory?
A cell is the smallest living unit of all living organisms. All living things are composed of one or more cells. Cells arise only by division of a previously existing cell.
What are the two types of microscopes?
Light and electron microscopes
Light: Uses magnifying lenses with visible light and resolves up to 200 nm; because the wavelength of light is larger than that of electrons, resolution is limited since resolution of a microscope cannot be more than 1/2 of the wavelength of light
Electron: uses beam of electrons and can resolve up to 0.2 nanometers apart
Give some examples of cells
Bacterium (1 micrometer), archaean, amoeba (100 um), algae, fungal cells, animal cells (10 um), plant cells
What are the two types of electron microscopy?
Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) (2D) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (3D).
Bright Field Microscopy
Light passes directly through the specimen, staining with a dye increases contrast in a specimen since many cell structures have insufficient contrast to be discerned. However, dyeing usually kills the cells (20 micrometers)
Fluorescence microscopy
Different molecules in cells stained with specific fluorescent dyes, which fluoresce when illuminated with UV light, and locations are seen by viewing the emitted visible light (10 um)
Triple labeled fluorescent microscopy
Three different fluorescent dyes are used simultaneously to label different structures (20 um)
Nomarski
Special lenses enhance differences in density, giving a 3D appearance
Confocal laser scanning microscopy
Lasers scan specimen in 3D, localizing fluorescence emitted from each point, and a computer reconstructs 3D image (10 um)
Super-resolution fluorescent microscopy
Precisely targeting laser light that stimulates fluorescence produces v high resolution. 10 nm
TEM
Beam of electrons is focused on a thin section of a specimen in a vacuum. Electrons that pass through form the image, structures that scatter electrons appear dark. TEM is used primarily to examine structures within cells. Various staining and fixing methods are used to highlight structures of interest. 500 nm
Scanning electron microscopy
A beam of electrons is scanned actoss a whole cell or organism, and the electrons excited on the specimen surface are converted to a 3D image. In the image, small raised dots are proteins in a cell membrane
Unit conversions of a meter
1 m= 10^2 cm, 10^3 mm, 10^6 micrometers, 10^9 nanometers
Up to what point can the human eye see?
1 mm- frog egg/fish egg
Light microscope range
1 mm-1 micrometer; human egg, plant cell, animal cell, mitochondrion, e coli
Electron microscope range
100 micrometers to 0.1 nanometers- large virus, ribosome, cell membrane thickness, dna diameter, h atom
Why is it beneficial for cells to be so microscopic?
higher surface area to volume ratio means there is enough surface area to accomodate all of the exchange needs for the cell’s volume. As diameter increases, ratio also decreases, meaning insufficient surface area is present
How do cells increase surface area?
Via extensions or folds
Describe the plasma membrane of a cell
Phospholipid bilayer with embedded protein molecules. It is hydrophobicbarrier to water-soluble substances, but selected substances can enter through transport protein channels
What are the components of the cytoplasm?
The cytosol (aqueous, contains ions, organic molecules, and organelles), and the cytoskeleton (maintains cell shape and aids in cell division and chromosome segregation)
What are prokaryotes?
Cells with no boundary membranes or internal membranes (bacteria and archaea)
What are eukaryotes?
Cells with an endomembrane system consisting of membrane bound organelles and a nucleus separated from cytosol